


The Eyes of Jabberwock Island

by clownmaeda



Category: Dangan Ronpa, Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Fluff, Island Mode (Dangan Ronpa), M/M, Multi, Mutual Pining, Other, Slow Burn, epic gamer references, even though its island mode lol, for now thats how its gonna be, ill add more characters as i actually add them, komaeda cant say fuck, komahinanami suggested tbh, since its a work in progress, stone skipping, this very loosely follows the actual events of sdr2, while hajime says it too much
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-09
Updated: 2019-05-30
Packaged: 2020-02-29 06:01:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18772687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clownmaeda/pseuds/clownmaeda
Summary: “Do you feel like we’re being watched?” Hinata speaks, bluntly. He looks towards the stars, and Komaeda looks towards the beach. One believes the sky has eyes, while the other is concerned with the sea.Hajime thinks the sky is watching him... is he paranoid, or is there a hidden truth behind Jabberwock Island?





	1. Lonely Nights and Skipping Stones

“Is someone…” 

Hinata looked up at the sky, his heart beating out of his chest. All his feelings of anxiety caught up to him, though he wouldn’t want to admit that. There is no way he is simply imagining it- he can’t be just paranoid, right? As his body felt heavier and heavier, he sits down on the ground next to the pool, his breathing and the ocean the only things audible in the tranquillity of Jabberwock Island.

“Watching me?” the question escapes ever so quietly. No, no. He’s just imagining it. He’s only dreaming, that’s all. An island? Being watched? It’s fucking ridiculous. Though surrounded by cameras, this is different.

The stars appear as millions of eyes looking down on himself and the others. Their mere existence on this island feels insignificant compared to the vastness of the Universe, Hinata thought, or probably he’s just thinking too hard about it. The more he stares, the more it all seems fake- a delusion, a bad fucking joke. He’s meant to be at school god damn it! He’s never wanted to be at school more than he does now, to go back and live a normal life. To forget the fact that he barely knows where he is and why it all feels… off. There are only questions to ask and no answers to be given: why are they here? Why are they forced to live here together? Something horrible is just waiting to happen, Hinata’s sure of it. Something bad must happen. It’s all too nice. The calming sea, the birds, the sky, the peaceful summer breeze. 

In the distance, a door could be heard, but the boy was too busy thinking about the meaning of life to hear it. Or he may be making a conscious decision to ignore it, but he simply could not care- it’s a moment of complete disconnect from reality. He quickly pinches himself to feel something. 

“Ow- fuck. What the hell…” But at least he felt it, which means he’s real and only paranoid. This is definitely one of those nights where it’s impossible to go to sleep. Maybe someone’s awake, but he’s unsure if he trusts anyone enough to confide in them. Sooner or later, a shadow quickly escapes the hotel grounds, Hinata only noticing the gate closing, startling him slightly. 

“H- hey- !” He’s cut off short, the sound of the person’s steps picking up speed. Hinata jumps up to run after them but stops himself short, deciding that whoever that was, maybe they need their privacy. They seemed in a hurry.

“Everyone’s on edge, so I guess I’ll just…” he looks around, sighing and scratching the back of his neck. He realises he’s talking to himself and slowly walks towards his cottage…

...But instead moves towards the hotel’s gate, leaving. As he strolls around, he stretches, trying to wake himself up a bit to prepare himself for this night of zero sleep, like a total rebel. Though quiet, he can’t seem to see anyone around- maybe this person is trying really hard to be incognito. Are they planning something…? The thought cannot escape his mind, but his curiosity is only more eager as he thinks about the possibility of unmasking a master plan, to prevent an incident. He quickly realises that he may be thinking too highly of himself, since…nothing has really happened so far, but you never know. He finds his “classmates” a peculiar bunch anyway, hopefully, he can trust them. He wants to trust them. He wishes to be proven wrong. There was a certain level of trust in Usami’s tasks, almost a method to their madness. Well, Hinata’s madness. 

After a short inner monologue of grim thoughts and fatalism, he focuses on how Jabberwock Island looks at night. It’s eerily beautiful, hearing chickens as he passes the ranch. The sound of the sea makes him forget that he’s meant to be freaking out, the perfect temperature of a summer night bringing him peace if only for a couple of seconds. Taking a deep breath, he absorbs all the worries in, letting everything go as he exhales. His mind is full of anxieties, but these solitary moments are better than anything he could hope for. Has he ever gone outside in the dark alone before? Has he ever felt so good to be alone? Even if a faint emotion, maybe he should’ve stayed in bed, yelling to himself, but… this is adequate self-care. Yeah. This feels good. There’s no reason to lie to himself that this is the first time he has felt at least 30% okay with being stranded on an island with a group of people he has never met, and the fact that he can barely remember anything. This is fine. It’s all good. Totally okay.

“Just think about summer. I could go to the beach. I could have some fun. You know, swim, or something. Why am I even worrying? Haha. Everythiiiing is fine....” he feels stupid. But reassurance is the last bit of hope he has. The stars are still watching his every move.

The shadow which he has previously seen makes another appearance, moving between the palm trees towards the beach. As soon as he notices, he quietly rushes to hide somewhere around the ranch, hoping he wasn’t seen. This person seems to have something else on their mind if they haven’t seen him, he’s horrible at being stealthy. With a sigh of relief, he watches their every move. They’re walking around the beach, very much in the distance- Hinata can barely make out their actions. They seem to be skipping stones in the ocean. 

“Skipping stones?” he whispers to himself, quietly. Well… if that helps them take the edge off. He thinks about whether or not he should approach them. Is that okay? Would he want to be bothered by anyone in the middle of the night? Much to think about.

Quietly approaching the beach, the identity of the person becomes more and more visible- can’t be Nekomaru, that’s for sure, and definitely not Fuyuhiko or Hyoko. Not a girl, either. There was certain loneliness about this person, and Hinata knew very well who this might be, but for now, he wouldn’t want to admit it. The sound of the stones hitting the water becomes prevalent as he tries to get closer without being noticed.

One splash…

Two splashes…

Three splashes…

Four splashes…

Flop. 

Again and again, almost obsessively, these stones are being skipped. One by one. One splash, two splashes, three, four, flop. One, two, three, four. One, two-

Hinata quickly hides out of the sight of the person who felt like they were being stalked by someone with nothing better to do. This is almost like a pattern, a silly game, and Hinata quickly realises that he should just turn around and leave. He has no business being here and doesn’t want to act like some weirdo… how would he even explain himself? But these bushes won’t make a good cover for long.

His curiosity bothered him enough to take another peek at the… person… who is… skipping stones-

“Komaeda?-” he whispers to himself, which was not only a reflex but a very bad move for someone who’s trying to hide, turning away quickly. _Of course it’s him._ Who fucking else would wander around at night time just to skip some fucking stones?? What a weird ass guy, he should’ve just left. He’s regretting his every life choice he has made up until his point. Why didn’t he go to bed like every other normal human being on this planet, you know, just minding his own business!

“Oh, hello Hinata,” the polite and unique voice of Komaeda Nagito, in all its quietness, scares the shit out of Hinata like there’s no tomorrow, even making him yell a bit. Komaeda laughs nervously and moves away from Hinata who just shat his pants a bit, most likely.

“DON’T- don’t scare me like that! Jesus fucking Christ, Komaeda!” Hinata says, or rather yells, more… flustered than angry. He’s utterly embarrassed.

“Sorry!” he laughs softly once again as Hinata struggles to stand up. He reaches a hand out to him to help him out, which Hinata uses to support himself. “But… shouldn’t I be the angry one in this situation? You know… since you stalked me from the hotel to the beach…” this is only meant to be playful. If it’s by an Ultimate, stalking is more an honour than an act of creepiness. “I wonder why you did it! What reason could you possibly have?” 

Hinata quickly retracts his hand, stuffing it in the pocket of his jeans to appear more confident in this situation. Since, you know, he’s very laid back and cool. 

“Don’t get too excited. I just couldn’t sleep and wanted to see why someone would sneak out so late,” behind Komaeda, a beautiful scene was unfolding, actually. The light of the moon reflecting perfectly on the ocean creates an enchanting view. Maybe, just maybe, this island isn’t so bad after all. “Since it’s you, I wouldn’t even be able to guess what you’re up to.”

“Hah, is that so?” he’s flattered, despite feeling incredibly tired and in the middle of discovering an important detail about this island. Komaeda looks behind himself, motioning for Hinata to follow him as he goes to sit down in the sand. “You should rest after that scare, I thought you were having a panic attack.” 

Komaeda seems laid back as usual, but the more Hinata thinks about it he’s obviously thinking about something. No one stays up so late to come to the beach for no reason… does he feel like he’s being watched too? Is he not the only crazy one? To be put on the same level as Komaeda could be taken as an insult, but Hinata was at the end of his wits.

The stars are bright and inconspicuous. Too inconspicuous. 

“I’m- I’m fine. Just on edge tonight,” he sits down next to Komaeda, making sure not to sit too close, he’s already acted like enough of a clown so far. “I can’t seem to shake off the fact that everything isn’t how it should be.” Hinata brings his knees to his chest, leaning his chin on them. He can’t believe Komaeda will be the one he confides in. At the same time, there was possibly no one else who could get him better. 

“It’s incredible to hear that from you. I thought I was really going insane. This island, so peaceful and tranquil begs for an incredible amount of bad luck, don’t you think?” He stares off towards the moon. Beautifully crafted, up in the sky like an observer over the little island in the middle of nowhere. “I’m surprised nothing has happened yet. My time here has been the most peaceful in years, and now you’re here on this lovely night… it’s all too much for me,” he says pretty this all casually. Hinata, uncomfortable by the ease of these statements of “bad luck” and “something waiting to happen” are said so casually, frowns and grunts slightly. How… just how can he be so certain. How can he be so happy? He will never understand Komaeda’s attitude. There is a long pause as Hinata thinks to himself. 

“Have I said something weird?” Komaeda inquires, feeling the awkward tension in the air. Not that he’s not used to it, but he’d accept this from anyone else other than Hinata. He was wishing for a better reaction. “I know that you feel the same, Hinata. Deep inside yourself, you wish to go back- to find the secret of this island and be left alone? Or maybe find out why we’re trapped here… or maybe you’re possibly planning something atrocious?” he’s getting over himself, being intrusive. “If you ever need someone to help you-”

“Komaeda, you don’t have to… I don’t know,” he takes a look at him, who is desperate to talk about anything. To get his mind off of something, something which Hinata doesn’t know yet. He’s ever so close to the truth. “You don’t have to try so hard. I’m not planning anything, I’m just freaked out by this island, okay? I don’t wanna be here.” 

As if all worry was washed away, Komaeda relaxes, visibly. Though he was basically told to stop being weird, it felt like something he needed to hear. He wasn’t as calm as Hinata thought. Actually, he’s incredibly anxious. His honesty also moved him, as the sea moved towards the shore. Abruptly. Gently.

He lays his hand in between them, a little closer to Hinata, maybe waiting for an act of reassurance. Who knows. “Sorry if this is out of my place... but why are you awake?”

The stars decorate the sky beautifully, illuminating the infinity of the universe. The moon embraces the night with the ardour of a lover, anything under its light becoming more beautiful than before. Komaeda feels hypnotised by this incident, almost blessed, as this peaceful moment is a breath of fresh air for him. Hinata is apprehensive to answer his question.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

“Do you feel like we’re being watched?” Hinata speaks, bluntly. He looks towards the stars, and Komaeda looks towards the beach. One believes the sky has eyes, while the other is concerned with the sea. 

Watched… being watched… the paranoia of Hinata’s statement is familiar. Komaeda thinks to himself whether or not he would care if they’re being watched right now. Maybe the person watching could take a photograph of this moment so he can be stuck in it forever- 

“Sometimes,” he bites his lip. Think, Nagito, think. The stones. One, two, three, four. One, two… 

“Have you tried skipping a stone here?” he abruptly asks.

“No… why are you changing the subject,” Hinata’s reply came off meaner than intended. 

“Well, I noticed this by accident,” he smiles at Hinata. “Whenever you throw a stone, no matter the angle and no matter what stone it is, it always bounces four times. It’s either a coincidence or something is happening with the fabric of our very reality. I came here to test my theory: something is weird about our situation. We arrived here with no given purpose other than collect fragments and create useless inventions for Usami,” he grins, leaning towards Hinata in a spurt of excitement. “You came along just to prove my theory! Hinata, you truly have no idea how lucky I feel right now,” he leans back as he realises he was getting too close, “This is why… I can’t help but feel as though the secret that lies behind the mystery of Jabberwock island is cruel. An incredible feeling of bad luck which is beyond our understanding now. But whatever happens, I’m sure it will provide the most hope,” Komaeda moves a strand of white hair away from his own face, noticing Hinata is looking at him in bewilderment. 

“Do you understand? Though my luck controls everything, it’s a two-way road, and… ah, sorry. I talked too much again,” he sighs, looking away.

Hinata has been staring at him for a while, noticing the cunning way in which he talks about luck. This obviously doesn’t make the most sense, but the fact that he has everything thought-out in detail is incredible. He would have never thought someone as peculiar as Komaeda could find out so much about this island so quickly- how much he can somehow relate to him. Their bond is mysterious. It’s hard to understand, it’s too convoluted, but in essence, Hinata understands this feeling of impending doom. It’s a long way until he will fully understand the power of “luck”, a talent so chaotic, appearing so insignificant. This isn’t the first time he sits through a speech of bullshit hope. 

The night, moon, stars and the beach are probably messing with him.

“No, I don’t fully get it. But I can say that I understand you… just a bit more. Every day it’s one step closer to ‘getting you’,” He kind of smiles at how cheesy and embarrassing that sounded. 

“Not that I want to get you that badly. I’m just trying to see if what you said is true. If we’re that much alike.”

Komaeda’s heart is trying to escape his chest, chuckling at this. He could get drunk off of this cheesy conversation, it doesn’t feel real. He’s trying incredibly hard to keep his composure. “You really… mean that…? I really wonder what’s in store for me later on,” he smiles. 

“So… you feel like the stars are watching you?”

“U- um. Yeah, I guess. It only sounds weird when you say it out loud,” Hinata leans back, propping himself on his elbows and relaxing one leg. The sand feels soft, unnaturally so. Has it always been like this? “As you said, everything is almost too good. I’m tired, and I can’t stop thinking about how everyone can be so calm in this situation. Is no one freaking out? It’s ridiculous, can’t believe you seem to be the only sane one here.” 

“That really says something, huh? Ouch, Hinata.”

“No- not like that. Like- okay maybe like that,” he chuckles at his lack of tact, Komaeda just smiling at him, vacantly. “I’m trying to find something to make me feel better. The chores are making me fall into some shitty routine. Go out, get an item, go meet up with someone and then sleep. Repeat every day… I just want to go back home. This doesn’t make me feel better and everyone’s taking it too lightly. We’re all lying to ourselves that this is fine, but it isn’t. Why are we stuck here!” he catches himself before getting loud. He’s angry at life itself. He wants out. 

As Hinata sat up, he felt a hand on his shoulder. This is an act of reassurance not only Komaeda was looking for, but Hinata as well. As small as it is, it counts. The stars blink, and the sea keeps moving. 

“Are you doing okay?” Komaeda’s calmly asks.

“...I think.” He’s confused by the question, but he realises how badly he wanted to hear it. “I don’t know. Are you?” The hand lingers on for longer than he expected but decides not to say anything about it.

“Oh, don’t worry about me,” he smiles. “Anyway, can you test something out for me?” Komaeda suddenly stands up and walks towards the shore. Confused, Hinata follows him and gets handed a rock. “Just try skipping this. I really am curious about the result.” 

“Okay? I’ve never done this before, though,” he says as he tries to mimic the act of skipping stones. It looks bad. 

“Wow, Hajime. Do you really call yourself an Ultimate with this level of skipping stone skill? I am utterly, from the bottom of my heart, disappointed…” he smiles, taking another rock from his pocket. Just how many rocks does he even have…. 

Gently yet skillfully, Komaeda flings the rock towards the ocean.

“One…” Komaeda whispers to himself.

The stone skips.

“Two…”

Skips.

“Three…”

Skips.

“Four.”

Flops.

Dumbfounded, Hinata looks at him. Not only was he impressed by the rock throwing execution, which he was kind of jealous of, but also at how he predicted the rock’s movements. He takes a good look at the starry sky. The stars blink back at him.

“This is… definitely strange. I didn’t really believe it when you said it. But this could just be a coincidence, so, let me try.” Cocky. 

And so, he attempts to skip the stone, but his throw was god awful. However, the stone managed to keep up the four skip routine, baffling Hinata- only on the inside. He smiles confidently towards Komaeda. 

“See? I did it! First try.” However, his confidence was trumped by Komaeda’s thoughtful stare towards the ocean, with a hand to his chin in thought. “...And you didn’t even care. Okay.” 

“Hajime, how many skips was that? You counted, I hope,” Komaeda is suddenly serious. 

“Yeah? It was-” and it dawns on him. He recalls the silent moment in which Komaeda was counting. One, two, three, four… What an unlucky number. “It was four, the same as your stone. That is… very fucking weird.”

“Yeah, very weird.” 

“I said ‘fucking’ as well, do you not say that?” Hinata jokes, making Komaeda chuckle, but he’s too deep in thought to fully laugh. He looks peaceful, yet troubled. 

“I just don’t know what this means. I can’t piece it all together. Does it even relate to you feeling watched?” With that, another stone. This was a lazy throw, yet it managed to skip just as many times as before. Four skips, perfectly. Though some throws lasted longer, there were still four. Some quicker skips, but four in number. “It’s unnatural.” 

Hinata thinks to himself that this is all interesting, but doesn’t fully understand how this relates back to his paranoia. At this point he’s assuming he was just being anxious for no apparent reason, growing tired compared to the restlessness he experienced before. 

“There’s a good chance I’m being overdramatic. I don’t think it’s that serious. Like, the stone skipping thing is weird, I’m not saying it isn’t but is it really okay to say it’s related to me being watched?” he stretches a bit, almost uncaring about the situation he was freaking out about not long ago. 

Komaeda gives him a troubled look, almost in disbelief of what he just said.  
“Maybe you should go to bed, Hinata. It’s really late,” he states, annoyed at Hajime’s ignorance. “We can talk about this tomorrow.” There is a bitterness in his tone, as if Hinata isn’t taking this fully seriously. He’s being hypocritical- does he truly think this is a joke? They need to figure out the secret of this island as soon as they can, and his attitude really is not helping. The ocean sound engulfs the silence surrounding them.

The night was almost over, however. The response left Hajime confused, pondering upon his bluntness and lack of tact in this situation. Looking towards the sky, he can see that the sun will be rising soon, his body feeling heavier as exhaustion catches up to him. He almost doesn’t want this night to end.

“I think I want to see the sunrise. I haven’t… seen one of them in so long.” 

Komaeda pauses. Hinata is right, you don’t get too see the sunrise so often. Since getting on this island, the time has passed slower and slower, and possibly why they’ve both been on edge. In reality, Komaeda is awaiting the worst- these are the only moments of his life where he’s felt completely peaceful. It didn’t feel fair, it was confusing and abnormal. Yet… all the worry about their situation fickle away with the sun’s light. The boys are simply standing side by side, staring into the distance. Peacefully. Uneventfully. Completely… normal. He can’t believe it as he looks at Hinata thoughtfully admiring the scenery. He looked…

Enchanting. 

They share a moment of silence, the spell of the morning ending the night’s dream-like effect. The stars are no longer gazing upon their confusion and anxiety; the sky has no more peering eyes. Hinata looks tired, Komaeda thinks. Utterly tired, but the morning sun fits him perfectly. There is something about his attempts at calming down and dedication towards understanding everything that gets him- he’s incredibly full of hope. 

Yes.

That’s it.

Hinata’s ambition is what gets him. All of the silent moments they spent together, even if it was doing nothing, he remembers them all, but this one had another kind of charm. Maybe, with his luck, he can reach out to Hinata’s hand; to hold it tight and fully enjoy this sunrise together… Komaeda almost feels as though he is going to cry, as all of his dreams just came true, the moon took the fantasy of the night away with it. With the morning sun, a new chapter begins, and he has been staring at Hinata for way too long- their eyes meeting. 

“What?” Hinata asks, smiling vaguely. It was a special smile, one only the tired mind could produce. He looks soft, for once. So soft that it’s making Komaeda blush and fiddle with the string of his hoodie to not think about it so much. The sound of the waves fills up Komaeda’s mind for a second, trying to focus on that instead of his pining internal monologue.

“Nothing…” he hesitates, “I’m glad I am on this island with y… everyone.” Another moment of hesitation. His voice becomes quieter, unable to say what he truly wants to say outright. It would ruin the moment, he thinks, it would just be awkward. “For the first time in my life, Hinata, I feel like no one is after me, even if we’re being watched. Maybe we are protected.”

“I don’t want to jump to conclusions. I think I was freaking out.”

Komaeda simply smiles to himself. There’s no reason for him to feed Hinata’s worry now, looking off to the side. The island is slowly coming back to life with the sun’s presence, shifting the mood and setting a hopeful tone. Maybe, just maybe, being stuck here with someone such as Hinata isn’t so bad, disregarding the bad luck he’s sure they’ll experience…

“Thank you for calming me down, Komaeda. We should, um,” Hinata puts his hands in the back pockets of his jeans, very casually to avoid appearing flustered or uncool. “Let’s do this again sometime. I still have some trip tickets.”

“Trip tickets?” Komaeda inquires, quickly smiling. “Hajime, it’s okay. Only if you want to. We can go around and explore like the usual!” 

The tension is quickly lifted, the boys resuming to their normal, light-hearted conversations. Truly, the sun and moon affect not only the mood but the way people interact. Though the stars were no longer watching, the story unfolds…

In the eyes of the sun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi! im planning on adding more to this- maybe some more island mode shenanigans. this whole thing loosely follows the events of the killing game (hence why hajime feels watched)  
> quite honestly i just wanted to expand on island mode so.... here it is! if you have any suggestions for characters or specific trips that also happen feel free to comment
> 
> next chapter might be a nap in the park. more characters to come


	2. Tree's Shade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one has a little komahinanami :) enjoy!

It was like nothing happened.

The day which followed felt hazier than Hinata would’ve liked- the sleep deprivation didn’t suit him well. His head felt heavier than a rock during the loud and eventful breakfast on the island, dazed from the events of the night. Komaeda was sitting across him, seemingly unphased by his own lack of sleep, eating his food in silence. Everyone had other worries, and possibly the lack of worry was what always bugged Hinata, though today his head hurt too much to even think about it. If only he could’ve gotten some sleep, jeez… Just like that, everything reverted back to normal.

“Ah- ow! What was that for!” Hinata was suddenly woken up, nearly spilling his drink. When he looked over to see who rudely bonked him, it was none other than Owari. 

“Oi, oi! Wake the hell up before I eat your food too, Henry!” she laughs, munching on her food. Owari is blissfully unaware of her mistake, getting a small chuckle out of Hinata.

“It’s- whatever… don’t choke, I guess,” he scratches his eye. “I’m pretty sure you can get more if you asked for it, anyway.” 

“You betcha!” she grins with a mouthful of food. If Hinata didn’t know any better, he would say it was kind of cute, but it’s mostly just gross. “What’s up with you guys anyway? You look like you stayed up all night or somethin’.” 

Hinata and Komaeda exchange a glance, shaking their heads in disapproval almost instinctively. Komaeda puts on his most polite smile, waving Owari off gently.

“Ah, don’t worry Owari… we just had a horrible sleep since we’ve all been working so hard to meet this week’s goal! It’s been difficult trying to find the materials lately,” Komaeda chuckles politely. Though not a complete lie, it wasn’t really the truth either, Hinata nodding along as he takes a sip of his water inconspicuously. 

“Eh… yeah. Those jabbacrystals annoy the heck out of me,” and she goes back to scarfing down her meal. Hinata can feel himself physically relaxing. Phew, that was close. He really undermines her sense of intuition. 

As everyone else carries on their conversations, Hinata is just pondering on the night. What all of it meant; if it truly revealed something about this seemingly perfect island, or not. If it all mattered in the end, real or fake; the question hung above him, if it all was okay. These conspiracies were all too extreme and had little evidence other than some stone skipping and general paranoia, his eyes focused on his half empty plate. This state of mind was similar to an ‘almost sleep’- rest mode. Idle. That was fitting. Another small touch wakes him up, an incredibly gentle hand.

“Hajime, don’t look so down! Today we shall get this bread!” Sonia says enthusiastically, looking towards Nanami, as if asking for approval. 

Nanami sends her a small thumbs up.

With a nod, Sonia continues. “Don’t worry, you can go rest and we’ll take care of it, okay? It’s more important to be well rested than pass out eventually,” her smile was infectious, spreading across Hinata’s face as well. 

“Thanks, Sonia… I’ll go do that. I’ll get this bread today.”

A small chuckle can be heard from the person sitting across as Sonia confidently smiles at Hinata. Sonia takes her leave, patting Hinata’s shoulder.

“What?” Hinata inquires, half-laughing. 

“Hinata… you are such an epic gamer! I really didn’t know this side of you… Nanami surely can teach you her ways!” Komaeda chuckles, hand to his mouth. This is a sign that he’s being cheeky, almost too cheeky for his own good.  
“No, Komaeda…” Nanami’s soft voice can be heard from a few seats over. “I’m the only epic gamer here, Hinata would just steal my spotlight…” she says, expression deadpan and focusing on her… um... Hinata can’t put his finger on it.

“Uh, Nanami? What’s that you’re holding?” he moves to sit next to her, Komaeda following suit. The boys are sitting on each of Nanami’s sides. 

A weird act, coming from Komaeda. It felt nice being together like this, Hinata’s worries flushed away. This is one of those times where he truly feels like a teenager on vacation. He smiles to himself, looking at Nanami’s hands. It’s a small egg shaped device, bright purple. Maybe he’s seen this somewhere else- it felt nostalgic.

“...It’s a tamagotchi. You really don’t know?” a small creature is moving across the screen. Nanami makes sure to feed it, then clean after its mess.

“Oh! I had one of these… is it an adult yet?” Komaeda grins a bit, leaning closer. 

“Y-yeah, I did have one. Everyone did, Nanami... “ was the lie Hinata said with an air of awkwardness. 

Swiftly, Nanami takes out two of those devices, Komaeda’s eyes shining slightly brighter. Seeing him so excited confused Hinata in the best of ways, smiling to himself and then at Nanami. 

“You can have these… I’m not too good at taking care of them,” she giggles as the boys take their gifts. Hinata takes the white one, Komaeda the dark green one. 

“It’s even my favourite colour! You’re so thoughtful, Nanami,” Komaeda smiles at the girl. She returns the gesture.

“We can play together sometime, you can visit your friends and stuff… I got work now, though,” she sighs, stuffing her tamagotchi aside. Trailing off, she attempts to get up before being stopped by Hinata’s hand wrapped around her wrist.

“Hey, let’s go now! Komaeda and I have nothing to do today, plus…” Hinata retreats his hand, feeling invasive and… a bit flustered at his bluntness, making a quick recovery. “What’s one day off, right?”

The request, bluntness, and awkwardness are shocking to both Komaeda and Nanami. Komaeda tries not to blush himself, while Nanami brings a hand to her chin in thought. Leaning forward, the second-hand-flustered boy gives Hinata one of those ‘can’t believe what you just did’ looks. 

“What?-” Hinata returns with a whisper and a ‘leave me alone I’m trying my best’ look. Nanami notices but decides not to say anything about the boys’ telepathic yet very telling glances at each other. If she didn’t know any better, she would say they’re both flirting with her.

“Um… okay. I don’t feel like cleaning today, anyway-”

“Great! Let’s hurry up and get to the park, then,” Komaeda simply blurts out. Uncharacteristic of him, Hinata and Nanami think, shrugging at each other. “...Before anyone sees us ditching work, that is!” he gives a light chuckle. 

Before they knew it, the trio left the kitchen table. Everyone left to do their chores, be it cleaning or collecting items, they had something to do- except for Hinata, Komaeda and Nanami. It was a beautiful and sunny day, Hinata squinting a little as he glances at the clear sky for a brief moment. It didn’t seem much different. Nature fabricates the same looking sky, the same looking clouds; Hinata, in moments of self-reflection, believes that the sky is an awkward shade of blue unlike the sky he was used to seeing. However, there was no reason to think something was wrong… at least, in this second, he doesn’t want to make himself paranoid, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his jeans. Stupid conspiracies, he doesn’t even want to give it a second thought. 

His head was pounding enough and the daydreaming wasn’t doing him any good, almost bonking into the main gate before Komaeda swiftly opens the door for him, chuckling. Hinata returns the awkward chuckle, nodding at him.

“Hinata! Be careful…” he also waits for Nanami to exit, closing the door behind himself. “It would be embarrassing to be saved by me so much.” 

“Thanks, Komaeda, but I’m not a damsel in distress…” he says this, then immediately doubts it- wait, no, he isn’t! He doesn’t need Komaeda to be his prince in shining armour, or a prince in nice princely clothes, saving him from danger… thinking about it, Hinata would rather be the prince himself. This is how you mentally get a step ahead of someone, imagining how it would be to save Komaeda rather than being saved himself. Hah, that’ll show him. Komaeda is the real damsel in distress- 

“You’re really thoughtful today, Hinata… did something happen?” Nanami questions, looking up at Hinata as they walk. 

“No, I wasn’t thinking about anything,” nothing other than being Komaeda’s prince? That was… the most awkward thought ever, rubbing his eye to wake up. “Didn’t sleep well last night.” 

The question hung heavy in the air, especially on Komaeda. Each time Hinata was asked if he’s okay, he became smaller, sighing quietly. But… it was fine. Of course, Hinata wouldn’t admit to spending the night with him. It was embarrassing and weird; this amount of good luck was about to tip the glass and bring incredible amounts of bad luck. With that, he straightens himself up in an attempt to look fine. Nanami also glances at Komaeda, yet decides not to bring it up. There was tension, and she wasn’t going to cut it with the metaphorical knife of tension-cutting. 

She’s not their therapist… but, maybe when they sit down, she’ll have a chance to ask what really happened. 

“Okay… as long as you’re ready to learn everything about the secrets of tamagotchi, I’m not gonna ask,” Nanami smiles. “I’m glad we’re doing something together.”

Both Hinata and Komaeda feel a shiver down their spine, Hinata scratching the back of his neck, Komaeda looking away at the compliment. This walk felt longer than usual. 

“If you ever wanted to do something with us, you could’ve said. We’re not that busy…”

‘We’? At the mention of ‘we’, Komaeda looks at Hinata instinctively. It was peculiar to be put on the same spot as an Ultimate- no, to be put on the same spot as Hinata Hajime. This whole conversation will make Komaeda blush, smiling and once again looking off to the side. Instinctively, he coughs lightly before speaking up.

“We’re… always here, Nanami.”

“I did ask today, kinda. Um, what are we doing at the park, anyway?” she glances towards the entrance of the park, scratching her eye as she yawns. It seems they’re all tired today.

“Uh…” Hinata trails off, examining the park. It’s as empty as ever, the statue as passive as it’s always been, birds chirping in the distance as the wind blows softly through the trees. A hot, sunny day, two of your best friends with peace and quiet, Hinata felt at ease. “Just playing with tamagotchis, right? I think I need to lie down a bit, anyway.” 

“We’re all rather tired today, huh? Look, we can sit down there…” Komaeda motions to a spot under the shade of a tree. It was the perfect spot to sit, even if it wasn’t a bench. “If you also agree, of course…” he wouldn’t want to step out of line.

With a nod, Hinata starts walking faster so he can be the first one to sit down, plopping himself under the tree as he rests his back on its trunk. He’s looking for maximum comfort, taking a deep breath in, then exhaling. Komaeda chuckles, sitting down next to him. 

Close, but not too close. As always. 

Nanami, however, doesn’t have any doubts or hesitation, sitting down next to Hinata as well. She takes out her tamagotchi, as promised.

There was a brief moment of explaining coming from Nanami, teaching the boys (though, mostly Hinata) how to work the connection and meetups between tamagotchis. It didn’t take too long to understand the rather simplistic nature of the devices- after all, they were for children. Small laughs were exchanged and the softness of the moment gave the group a much-needed break from it all. From the doubts, the questions and the lack of answers, they were all forgotten if only for a short period of time. Nanami slides down on the grass as her lids become heavier by the minute. The hot weather and quiet atmosphere felt just too nice to not fall asleep, she thought to herself. Maybe Hinata and Komaeda will just take her back at some point, or… something like that… 

Nanami couldn’t help but sleep, her thoughts trailing away. Her soft breaths become audible as she falls into a deeper slumber, dropping the beloved tamagotchi to her side. Hinata notices, but decides not to make any sudden moves or attempt to bother her. As uncomfortable as her pose looks, she seems pretty out of it. He, once again, is left to his own devices in Komaeda’s presence… if they are such good friends- best friends, almost, why does he feel so awkward when they’re left alone? His mind is a machine of question-making lately, it seems. Hinata is confused about every aspect of his own existence and social life, cursing himself mentally. A soft voice breaks his train of thought- well, it was obvious where it came from. 

“Hinata… are you okay? You look… deep in thought,” Komaeda chuckles, keeping his voice quiet. “Sorry for disturbing you, actually.” 

Hinata feels like he doesn’t know how to behave like a normal human right now. Was he actually okay? He was feeling fine until a couple of moments ago, and yet, the peacefulness surrounding him as a warm blanket didn’t feel enough. “I’m okay. I have a lot on my mind,” he dejectedly replies and looking at the sky once again. How did the sky look this time?

It looked clear, a deep summer blue sky with scattered puffy clouds to beautifully decorate and contrast the gradient of colours. Birds revelled in their freedom, as though they are mocking Hinata’s situation. He can’t remember when he last believed in conspiracy theories, especially ones without proof, or even a solid theory in the first place. 

“During the day, it doesn’t seem so fake after all, huh?” Komaeda jokes, smiling towards Hinata. He sounds mocking, but he means well. The fakeness of the sky is becoming an inside joke. 

“Y- yeah. No need to bring it up again…” he suddenly became sheepish, somewhat annoyed. “Komaeda, I need to talk to you,” Hinata looks at him seriously, pausing for a brief moment. Though shocked, Komaeda listens, giving him a gentle nod. 

“About last night.” 

Last night…. Komaeda knew this moment would come, trying not to appear out of breath. Everything in his head, heart, soul, was shaking, but it appeared too good to be true. During a hot, sunny day in the middle of summer as the breeze touched his skin with the gentleness of a feather, Hinata Hajime was going to confess something to him. The forces of good and bad luck felt more inevitable than ever- Komaeda truly didn’t deserve the kindness of life. No, this was too beautiful to be true. 

“I-” Hinata chickens out, nearly giving Komaeda a heart attack. 

“Hinata, really, you don’t have to force yourself to talk about a subject you’re not comfortable with! Believe me, I can forget the events of last night as though they never happened in the first place if that’s what you want me to do, please-” 

Hinata’s hand lands on Komaeda’s shoulder. It felt firm, though the most reassuring touch Komaeda has ever felt. He’s giving it his all not to crumble to dust in front of Hinata.

“Stop. Stop, you’re making it more awkward than I’m making it,” Hinata chuckles, in a friendly manner and taking Komaeda even more by surprise. “Um… sorry,” he takes his hand away. 

Hinata takes a deep breath, then exhales. The rollercoaster of emotions that this simple breath is putting Komaeda through simply cannot be put into words, picking slightly at the grass to distract himself during the awkward pause. 

“Okay. I thought about it, and… I think it’s better to work together on this theory. There’s really no proof for it so far, and I’m not even sure if I’m going crazy in this place, but…” he glances away from Komaeda. “You’re the only person who I can talk to about this. After last night, I feel that I don’t give you enough credit. The stone theory wasn’t just me imagining it, and you really are onto something ahead of me- how do you do it.” 

“H- how do I… do it?” the compliment can be read in between the lines, Komaeda calming down a little. There was a small smile forming on his face. “I suppose I’m lucky to notice the finer details. Luck guides my entire existence, as you’re aware.” 

The hint of pain behind his voice worries Hinata, once again looking towards his friend. Instinct guides him to get closer to Komaeda, doing so, once again touching his shoulder. For once, Hinata is letting his emotions speak for him, not acting logically. There wasn’t any need for logic. He rubs Komaeda’s shoulder, gently. 

“This time, though, you didn’t seem to just stumble on that coincidence. You knew something, didn’t you?” 

Komaeda sighs, relaxing even more. He doesn’t have the heart to look into Hinata’s eyes without being embarrassed or his heart beating out of his chest. The panic settles in. If he says anything now, Hinata will go away, and he’ll stop treating him so nicely, he’ll stop touching him in this way, and it will all be over. At the same time, he wants only a touch more- no, he can’t pour his broken heart out into Hinata’s hands. This isn’t the right time. With that thought in mind, Komaeda smiles, his eyes finally meeting Hinata’s.

“No. I watched a show, and when they were skipping stones, they noticed a pattern. This was all chance. I’m not capable of coming up with such plans, Hinata. You’re praising me too much,” he says, as a blush forms on his face. A faint one, but the moment is too much for Komaeda to handle. “I’m not worthy of so much praise. Truly, not worth of it,” the picking of the grass becoming more rapid. 

Upon seeing this, Hinata sets his hand on top of his, intending to stop him. Who knows, Komaeda looks so faint that he might collapse from hay fever, or mud allergy, there was really no way to be too careful. 

“Komaeda. Listen to me, carefully,” he grips his hand a little more, Komaeda’s eyes widening. “Whether you think you’re worthy or not, I’m not going to leave you alone until we work this out. I trust you- I…” Hinata pauses. Komaeda freezes. Although, the hand holding made his mind numb, and Hinata had no intention of taking his hand away. 

“I’m tired of cryptic messages. Let’s find out the truth, but. Together. No one else would take this seriously,” and Hinata glances at the long-gone Nanami next to him, hoping she isn’t only pretending to be asleep. “We have to work together, and this isn’t praise, it’s something I want you to understand. You’re the only one who can get to the bottom of this.”

With such sincere, pure emotion, Komaeda was struggling not to cry. It was as though Hinata grabbed his heart and ripped it out of his chest, but in the best way possible. All of this felt so personal, almost enlightening- for someone such as him to experience this incredible amount of kindness was unnatural. It was only a matter of time before the universe shoved him back in his place. He thinks, stepping out of line even more, if this would be the perfect moment to kiss him? God, has he been staring for too long? Hinata scratches the back of his neck in a rather awkward way, retreating his hand. 

“Sorry, sorry. I’m not gonna force you into-” 

“Meet me at the beach tomorrow night. 1 am, don’t be late,” swiftly, Komaeda gets up, pocketing the tamagotchi. “I’ll see you then, Hinata.” 

“Um- okay, see you around, then.” 

Smiling at each other, they wave goodbye, Komaeda seeming in a rush, walking faster than usual. Hinata, realising the nature of the moment, wonders if he did something wrong. Was the hand holding too much? Was Komaeda’s force of luck going to get him, sooner than later? However, Hinata didn’t have too much time to think about this, as- 

“KOMAEDA-”

“OOF-” 

The not so lucky student trips. Nanami wakes up, and Hinata rushes over to help him up. So much for a quiet afternoon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this took me so long to write for absolutely no reason so here take it fhgkjdfldsf


End file.
